


The Five Steps of Devotion: Analyzing The Modern Concept of Dating

by evexe-n (manatsuko)



Series: Stepping Stones [4]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: (but first more of), (will add tags as the story goes on), Angst, But also, First Dates, Fluff, Getting Together, Introspection, M/M, Mutual Pining, Prideshipping, Resolved Romantic Tension, Resolved Sexual Tension, Scandalshipping, Threesome - M/M/M, if you squint for now, stoicshipping
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-13
Updated: 2017-12-10
Packaged: 2018-10-16 23:56:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,462
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10582131
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/manatsuko/pseuds/evexe-n
Summary: The fic where my titles are still ridiculously long (and relationships happen, I guess)--Dating, Set decided,was the most overly convoluted mess of a concept this society had come up with, and that was saying something.





	1. (Mental) Preparation

**Author's Note:**

> Format change from the previous parts because I'm juggling three fics rn with real life and it's hell. Chaptered fic it is! 
> 
> The rating's gonna go up in later chapters I'm warning you in advance, but for now, more oblivious idiots pining

 

 

Set was confused, to put it lightly.

In all of his years of living, and subsequently being dead, there'd never been a concept he understood as little as dating. And there had been a lot of things he had needed to get used to lately.

Once he had gotten past the first adjustment period of _not being dead_ and _having a real body again_ , there'd been new societal structures to take into account. It still felt improper to address his former pharaoh by name rather than title. Set found the idea alone ludicrous at first, but Kaiba insisted that if they wanted any chance of blending in, they'd have to drop the formality. Mana and Mahad took to it well enough, at least, and Kisara didn't seem to care much either way.

Before he'd even grown used to that, this world's technological advancement became an issue. They'd all seen Kaiba's technology during his visits to Aaru, but there was never any need to use it themselves. Now though... He was glad they had gotten that crash course, courtesy of Mokuba. As degrading as it was to acknowledge a child was more well-versed in this world's sciences, there was no doubt all of them needed the guidance. Even Atem, who - despite having prior experience here - was absolutely hopeless with anything not game-related.

Then there'd been the overarching problem of getting along with Kaiba. It had taken months to form a truce of sorts with the other man, not for his own lack of trying. Though he admits, he may have made some untoward accusations himself. Not to mention how easy it was to figure out what riled Kaiba up, which buttons provoked the strongest reactions when pushed.

His weakness for Atem in particular had been painfully obvious from the start, etched into his very being by the way his expression softened and eyes shone whenever the pharaoh was nearby. Atem himself had been largely oblivious to the other's feelings, no doubt, but Set noticed. He saw the way they drifted towards each other, brought together by passion and battle and pride, locked in a losing fight of push-and-pull with the inevitable.

That didn't mean Set couldn't get some amusement out of it, at least. His pharaoh had made his choice, and Set would abide by his decision, even if he did not agree. He considered making Kaiba's life harder in the meantime long due retribution for all the snide comments and animosity. If it also helped alleviate Set's uncomfortable sense of _wrongness_ he got whenever he looked at the two of them interacting, well then, that was an added bonus.

Whenever Kaiba snapped at him, whenever his gaze lingered on Atem's figure with painful longing, the ache in Set's chest would be soothed for a while. It took him longer than it should have to figure out why, though Kisara was quick to point out later that he'd been ignoring the obvious. 

Atem had been something unreachable, godly, _unattainable_ before. An ideal, a king. Not any longer, not _here_. He was no god walking amongst men, but merely one of many in the crowd; equal to any other. To Mahad, to Mana and Kisara. To Set. To Kaiba. He was no longer required to fulfill royal duties, for the first time in his life presented with true free choice. _And he'd chosen to follow Kaiba_.

Set wondered if Atem had considered his oldest friends before deciding, about the fates of those closest to him now, instead of the friends he left behind. He must have, or Kaiba would not have brought them all along, Set least of all.

And Set wouldn't be left behind _again_ , of that he would make sure.

If that meant being civil to Kaiba, he would. But Set would be there every step of the way to remind him that he did not deserve Atem's presence, let alone his affection.

It hadn't been a topic Set needed to consider before, when a marriage would have been arranged for Atem sooner or later. A god in the flesh did not choose a mortal bride; they were assigned one of fitting statute. Mortal men, however...

Mortal men would drag the gods down into the mud with them in their desperation.

Set wouldn't allow it. Kaiba was not worthy, no matter how successful he might be in his own right. What did Kaiba truly know of Atem, of the sacrifices he had made? What did he know of their suffering? How could someone who did not understand, hope to give Atem even a fraction of the love he rightfully deserved? Kaiba did not know any of his tenants, quick as he was to dismiss the past. 

Kaiba did not understand the crushing agony of loss, or so Set had thought.

The universe seemed quite intent on proving him wrong.

With every scrap of information he unearthed about Kaiba, he received another piece of the puzzle that was Kaiba's past. The internet, as it turned out, had quite a lot of uses, and Kaiba was very much a public figure despite his age. Newspaper articles of the child prodigy's accomplishments, the stepfather's suicide, the weapons manufacturer-turned-game company, the Duel Monster tournament reports, they all slotted together into the not-quite-whole of Seto Kaiba. Sensationalized, exposed to the world, yet shrouded in mystery to all but one.

Mokuba Kaiba was an anomaly. A being that contradicted all of Set's preconceived notions about his _reincarnation_ , and one that had no basis or connection to Set's own era. Yet the boy's life was interwoven so closely to the other man, it was difficult to imagine one without the other. Seto Kaiba, CEO of Kaiba Corporation, was harsh edges and iron walls, unapproachable. Seto Kaiba, older brother of Mokuba, was... different. He didn't order his brother around like personnel, never considered Mokuba's presence annoying or undue. Though strict at times, he took time off to take Mokuba to places he wished to go, played games with them all only because it was Mokuba who asked. Not even Atem had managed to coax quite as much humanity out of Kaiba's heart as Mokuba so far.

Set didn't know how to handle the boy. He seemed wary of Set, with good reason, but tried striking up conversations every now and then. His questions ranged from which machines Set hadn't grown used to yet, to the everyday requirements of ruling in Ancient Egypt. Surprisingly, Mokuba was delighted when given the chance to talk about archeological discoveries and the stories behind them, and valued Set's input. He was kind and thoughtful, the opposite of the elder Kaiba, almost. But above all else, Mokuba Kaiba loved his older brother with a fierce protectiveness Set had only ever seen in the eyes of men more battle-worn and experienced than any thirteen year old should be. It made Set wonder what lied behind the facade the brothers showed the world, what made them who they are. Natural curiosity won over personal disdain, and so Set observed.

None of the articles mentioned how Kaiba would work long into the night sometimes, typing and making phone calls and gulping down coffee until he could barely see straight. His hands-on approach of running a company cost him sleep and downtime, but he never complained, merely sighed and pushed himself further and further. The media didn't see him fuss over Mokuba's health or pour time into finding appropriate education for Mana. They didn't know how Set could hear him tip-toe down the hallway some nights, obviously unbalanced and awoken from a nightmare. How he'd caught Kaiba in a fitful sleep at the kitchen table in the morning, curled up into himself as much as his position allowed. A pathetic sight of an overly proud man, who would sooner suffer alone than show weakness.

And still Kaiba only looked on in silence, not making any real advances towards the subject of his desires. And still Set watched, and slowly, he understood.

There was more to the story than others had told, more than what Kaiba himself wrote with his every word and gesture and put out there for the world to gawk at. The drama, the flair, they were _him_ , but not _all of him_. The care and the worry, those were kept close to his heart, shared sparingly.

Atem must have seen it, somehow, these pieces of himself that Kaiba kept hidden. The pieces that Set had to look so hard for just to catch a glimpse.

The feeling of discomfort that had lodged itself behind Set's ribcage changed its tune. It grew and expanded and left him frustrated, eager to learn but unable to do so until Kaiba opened up of own volition.  He stopped provoking Kaiba as much, testing the waters one step at a time. It was about as easy as navigating the mud-slick riverside in the dead of night without the light of stars to guide you.

Yet the unthinkable happened; there came a day where Set realized he'd become friends with Kaiba. Whether it was his own efforts paying off, or a change in views on Kaiba's part, Set didn't know. He didn't particularly care either.

Spending time with Kaiba became something to look forward to, cherished like only his memories with Atem had been before. Even if there were topics they both tried to avoid - Kaiba's feelings for Atem being the most prominent one - and subjects they disagreed on, their discussions brought insight, understanding, _knowledge_.

Seto Kaiba turned out to be a man more than the sum of his past, propelled forward by nothing but sheer willpower. He was steadfast in his beliefs, enough so to rival even Atem, or Set himself. Rather admirable. Set hated admitting any of this to himself, let alone to Kisara when she'd cornered him and started a third-degree interrogation about his 'recent sulking'.

No matter what she said, he was not jealous of Atem and Kaiba. Of their relationship. Whatever.

He just didn't want to be left behind. 

And then Atem had come in like a whirlwind and asked Kaiba and him on a date.

Both of them.

At the same time.

One date.

_It didn't make sense._

At least not in the way Set understood the concept behind modern-day dating culture.

It had popped up during movie nights, in novels and in day-to-day conversation with strangers. All accounts and opinions on what constituted proper 'dating' contradicted one another, rendering them completely useless. What he did manage to gather so far boiled down to the following: _dating_ meant going out to scenic or entertaining locations with a person you were trying to court. Gifts were common, and often 'romantic' in nature. It was somewhat reminiscent of preliminary meetings with the father of a girl you considered marrying, only without the parent acting as a mediator. The conditions also appeared to be a lot vaguer and involved less negotiations.

Thus, he was puzzled by Atem inviting both him and Kaiba out on a 'date', very much so. If the purpose of dating was expressing interest in a possible spouse, why would he ask both of them? Or was he wrong in his assumptions that modern society was very set in their views of monogamy?

He firmly kept his thoughts from straying towards the question why Atem would wish to date him in the first place, when most of the pharaoh's attention had been on Kaiba so far. Set would have remembered if Atem had spent more time with him, acted differently around him or expressed interest before, but there had been no change to speak of.

It was a far cry from the prelude to any whirlwind romance that this modern society was so fond of portraying. But... Set couldn't imagine Atem acting out of any other reason than _because he wanted to_. There'd certainly been enough rejected prospects back in Egypt. Girls of good standing, those that were most beautiful and coveted, they hadn't gotten as much as a second look. Atem was unfailingly polite, but firm in his stance. Set had asked him once, why none of the girls had caught his eye yet, receiving naught but a vague _'because I'm not interested enough in any of them'_ in reply.

Set got the meaning of those words - and a thousand more that Atem had never dared say out loud - once he'd noticed how Atem acted around Kaiba. Maybe Atem hadn't been into those girls because they were _girls_.

It made sense, in hindsight. To desire another man had not been commonplace, let alone for the pharaoh. So Atem had always chosen his battles carefully, hidden real flirtation behind jokes that could have been easily dismissed as a folly of youth. Set had heard the stories and the myths, never allowed to forget any of them. Always holding up the honor of the gods - and by extension the pharaoh - had been Set's duty to fulfill, bound by sacred oath.

But Atem was no longer Pharaoh, and Set could see now why Kaiba had caught his attention. He saw it when they raged against each other, neither backing down, their eventual compromise not a loss, but brilliant victory. He saw it when Atem laughed and Kaiba smiled back, entranced, a man-made divinity next to one who had forsaken his throne of old.

And off to the side, Set. The one who had been loyal to the pharaoh for as long as he could remember, but never quite a friend. The one who barely managed to get along with their host, after much trial and error. Awkward, on the sidelines, watching their inevitable collision.

 _Suddenly pulled along on a date_ , he was reminded.

He let the thought sink in, settle in the hollow cavity between his bones where there'd once been anger and judgment for his pharaoh's chosen partner. It rustled and stirred, swishing back and forth in an attempt to escape its confines. Nausea, and something else. Set didn't want the emotion, but he couldn't help himself.

He _hoped_.  

 

 


	2. First Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'When none of the three people on this date have any idea how to date': The Chapter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not quite sure I'm happy with how this chapter turned out, but it'll do. Leave your thoughts if feel up to it!

 

 

Going to the arcade had seemed like a good idea.

All three of them liked games, so it was an obvious choice. Furthermore, the public setting wouldn't allow for awkward silences, and they wouldn't run out of things to do that easily.

At least, Set assumed this had been Atem's reasoning. He had, however, forgotten to take one important detail into account.

Not many games in this particular arcade were oriented towards three players.

"Ehm, we could play one on one and the winner takes on Set?" Atem suggested meekly.

"How would that be fair?" Kaiba frowned, "It'd still leave one person with nothing to do."

Set was becoming more and more fed up with their discussion. Feeling out of place was nothing new to him, but the current situation made it abundantly clear that he was mostly an onlooker here, rather than an active participant. Not as skilled as Atem, nor as driven as Seto. Even if _games_ were a relatively minor thing to judge his self-worth by, it felt significant.

Atem swiveled his head around, like he expected the machinery to be different from before. The movement made the small golden studs in his ears glint, catching the games' bright neon-colored lights. Everything seemed at once more vivid and washed out, an assault on his senses wherever he went. He didn't know where to focus. Someone's fingers smashing buttons. Atem's lips moving. Kaiba's eyes, their blue glowing unnaturally with every flash of virtual gunfire, with each blaring of a victory tune. The thumping of his own heart.

Set hadn't thought the place would be this overbearing. Maybe if he could just go outside for a moment and allow his mind to rest...

He suggested, "I could go play another game while waiting for you two to-"

"No," Atem interrupted him, "Splitting up would defeat the entire purpose of calling this a date."

"Remind me again why it's a date in the first place?" Kaiba had to shout for his voice to carry over the noise, making Set wonder how it was possible he could hear the other's foot tapping nervously on the worn-down floor tiles.

Atem slapped him on the arm. "If you can't figure it out, you don't deserve to know."

"You little-"

"Oh-kay," Set cut the argument short before it began, irritation starting to set in, "Considering we've been in here for over two hours already and tried every three-player beat-'em-up game this place has to offer, we could just go do something else now."

Atem protested weakly, "There's still a few co-op games we haven't tried, I think."

Kaiba looked at him as if he had grown a second head, or more precisely, as if he couldn't fathom why Atem would suggest a non-competitive game. Although, considering they'd somehow managed to make single-player rhythm-based games into a competition of 'break the other's high score' earlier, Set was convinced that even co-op could be turned into a contest somehow.

Realizing what he just said, and who he said it to, Atem amended, "...On second thought, yes, that sounded stupid. Let's just go walk around."

Set breathed a sigh of relief. _Finally_.

As they left the hustle and bustle of the arcade behind them and ventured out into the rest of the shopping district, Set wished Atem had answered Kaiba's earlier question though. So far, their outing had been fairly par for the course, from the bickering to the gaming itself. Wasn't there supposed to be a moment where it all clicked, where Set could tell _'Ah,_ now _it's a date'_?

Movies and novels always made it out to be such an important event, the most minute of details being portrayed as something that could make or break The Date. Girls worrying over their hair and make-up, what clothes to wear, guys trying to decide on the perfect gift.

In contrast, Atem had managed to oversleep, stumbling into the kitchen half an hour before they were supposed to leave the house. He'd grabbed a piece of toast and ran back upstairs to shower and get dressed. Once he met up with Set at the front door, ten minutes late, he apologized profusely - but he'd be damned before he left the house without decent eyeliner. It didn't even matter, because unlike Set, who'd thought it prudent to wait out in the hallway at least five minutes in advance, Kaiba was nowhere to be found. Mokuba informed them that the CEO had been holed up inside his office since 6 A.M. and refused to leave. Cue Atem furiously knocking on the office door until Set finally remembered the code to unlock it, so Atem could bodily drag the other man with them.

Thus, about half an hour later than planned, with Atem's hair sticking up in odd places and Kaiba looking more sleep-deprived than usual, they'd set off.

Definitely not the start to a movie-perfect date.

On the other hand, observing other 'normal' couples going about their day around them didn't provide much clues either. Most of them were of the teenage sweetheart variety, arms entwined and constantly cooing at each other. That did not sound like a good standard to judge his own current company by. Here and there were others too - the older couple they passed near the hardware store discussing what to get for dinner later with fond smiles on their faces, the business woman leaving the elevator on the phone with her partner to tell them she'd be home early. Still nothing that proved useful for them.

It didn't seem romantic, Set thought, to go to the mall and play games, to hang out like usual. Sure, they all enjoyed it - the arcade _had_ been fun, before it insisted on giving him a headache - but it wasn't anything special either. It was just... nice. The same way evenings spent watching TV at home with everyone were nice; fulfilling in the same way he'd rope Atem into trying out new food or argue semantics with Kaiba. Calling any of this _romantic_ would be a stretch.   

Yet, Atem was enjoying himself, laughing at Kaiba's dry remarks about the cheaper merchandise, dragging them all inside odd shops precisely because of that. And Kaiba let himself be steered towards the little store's aisle of kids' toys, telling Atem in no uncertain terms to _put back the party horn or else,_ diverting the smaller man's attention to the discount jewelry racks. As expected of the place, it was gaudy and cheap plastic, meant to be silly rather than fashionable. Atem tried on every single cat-motif ring - Kaiba mumbling under his breath, _oh god not the Hello Kitty one too_ \- and necklaces in every color of the rainbow and then some. It was frankly ridiculous. Set's cheeks were starting to hurt from holding back laughter.

If all of this wasn't romantic, then why did he feel so flushed and giddy, anxious yet excited? Was it really only because the intent behind it all was different now, that he became hyper-aware of every word, every action they took today? The dichotomy was confusing.

"Hey, Set!" Atem waved a pair of sunglasses in front of his face. "Here, try these on."

The sudden request confused Set to say the least. "Why?"

"Because I'm asking. Please?"

He obliged, taking the flimsy bright-yellow-trimmed sunglasses from Atem and putting them on. Atem smirked. "Now these!"

"And what is the point of this?" Kaiba spoke up.

"The point is, it's funny, and I want to know which design looks better on whom."

Kaiba's trademark scowl slid in place. "I'm not putting those things near my face."

"Yes you are."

"Absolutely not."

Set took the glasses off, considering. He looked from Kaiba to the remaining sunglasses, and back again.

"I think," he said slowly, "That the green ones would work better for Seto."

Atem grinned. "Excellent suggestion."

Kaiba put a hand firmly against Atem's chest, effectively keeping him at arm's length, unable to put the sunglasses on Kaiba himself. "Or, we leave now and I'll order take out for everyone this evening, as opposed to letting you starve."

"Chinese or Indian?"

"Whichever you want."

"Deal."

 

\---

 

Of course it'd be near impossible to find a place to eat around lunchtime. _Of course_.

It wasn't for lack of places that sold food, rather, there was a lack of places to sit down after you bought said food. And Set was most definitely not eating while standing up if he could avoid it. He could use the rest after hours of being on his feet.

Thankfully, a spot had opened up just as they'd arrived, Atem almost diving headfirst in between the other tables and the customers seated there to claim it. By unspoken agreement, Kaiba was assigned to _'keep other people away from our spot'_ duty, while Set resigned himself to his fate. More standing, in line this time. At least Atem joined him.

"Is it usually this busy here?"

"Hm? I don't think so, but I could be wrong. It's probably because it's Saturday and the weather's really nice. On days like this, there's bound to be more people in town."

A little girl seated near the entrance began throwing a tantrum. Set winced at the volume of her wails. "Doesn't the noise bother you?" 

"Not really, we're only here to eat anyway, right? We'll be out of here before you know it."

Set looked around. The crying noises had quieted down into the occasional hiccups, courtesy of the girl's mother. There was a group of teenagers taking up two booths in the farthest corner, and a family of five not far from them. Some people eating alone, more focused on their phones than their meals. Three women in meticulous business-wear near the window were trying to multi-task, switching between bites of food and discussing whatever documents one had pulled up on her laptop.

Still a far cry from a romantic date spot.

"Something wrong?" Atem asked.

"Ah, no, I'm alright. My apologies." His thoughts had drifted off, it seemed, neglecting to note Atem's presence at his side.

It was disconcerting, the way his stomach tied itself in knots simply by standing next to the other. They'd been like this a hundred, a thousand times before, a steady figure on the edge of each other's peripheral vision. When did the casual comfort turn into the desire to inch closer, to grasp and keep what wasn't rightfully his?

Atem bit his bottom lip. He averted his eyes, looking up at the menu above the counter again. Hesitantly, he said, "I didn't get the wrong idea, right? You do want to be here?"

"I should be the one asking that. I thought Kaiba was the one you-" Set trailed off, unsure how to put his doubts, his fears into proper words. He was not made for conversation. Once, some might have called him eloquent for his writing, well versed in anything from state documents to - his mind flinched from the memory - an eulogy, but this? Weaving a narrative with pen was nothing compared to the spoken word. There were no barriers to protect him from failure, no chances to start over if he got the wording wrong.

He felt tongue-tied, forcing the bare minimum of all he wished to say past his lips, praying he'd be able to convey the hidden truths, those that lingered in the hollow spaces between his ribs. "Are you sure you want me here?" he asked.

Atem looked up at him, perplexed. "I wouldn't have invited you if I didn't." Panic was starting to creep into his tone, voice rising with each word. "Set... You did agree to the date because you wanted to, right? Not only because it was me asking? Please, tell me you're not here because you felt like you couldn't refuse, because I used to be-"

Set cut him off, "No, no, I want to be here, I mean, I-"

There was a difference, he had realized, between wanting something and feeling worthy of it. Atem was not his to have, that was the way it had always been. The possibility to be more than master and servant, to be more than friends, had been dismissed before it could take root. And yet, here he was, tangled up in these feelings that had grown wild, clustered and confused, while Atem-

Something welled up in Set, airy and light, to realize he was not alone in his inexperience here. Atem was in the dark as much as he was, trying to figure this thing between them out by trial and error as best as he could.

"I want to be here. Very much so." He could feel heat spreading from his neck all the way up to his ears.

Atem grinned, as if he could see past the stunted words and the mess inside Set's mind. As if it made sense to him. "Yeah, I like you too." He coughed soon after, adding, "And Kaiba, obviously, while we're putting things out in the open anyway."

If not for the way he was twisting the rings that decorated his fingers, Atem would have looked wholly collected and in control. As it was, the image reminded Set more of days spent at court, uneasy children trapped in an adult’s game. 

He nodded tersely, a single time, pretending he wasn't about to hand Atem his heart on a silver platter in the middle of a cheap mall diner, so far removed from those halls they’d once called home.

"It’s the same for me."

Atem's expression softened into a smile, before quickly looking over his shoulder to where Seto was waiting for them. Fingers brushed against Set's hand, sneaking their way around his palm until they became entwined with his own. Their hold was loose, barely there, yet firm enough they wouldn't slip away on accident. Warm. Gentle. Slightly sticky, to be honest.

_Perfect._

He leaned closer, suddenly once more aware they were in public. Atem didn't seem to mind though. "Well, it's safe to say by now he likes us, but getting him to admit it might take a while. He's slow on the uptake, emotionally speaking."

Set chortled. He didn’t have to ask which ‘he’ Atem was talking about. " _You don't say_."

"Not like you're any better, apparently", Atem teased.

"Remind me again which one of us thought I might be here out of some misguided sense of duty?"

"...Fair enough."

 

\---

 

Set was starting to see the appeal of this very casual _'are you sure it's even a date?_ ' date. All of the underlying worry he'd been holding onto over the week, the hours spent pondering over what it meant or what could go wrong, they had all gradually dissipated. Atem didn't expect this day to be perfect; the pressure Set had imagined there to be, had been just that - _imaginary_.

Set wasn't the only one who thought so, from what he gathered. Kaiba had eased up with each shop they passed, the tense set of his shoulders slowly unknotting, the harsh lines of his frown smoothing out. Set could only describe the emotion on his face now as content. Everything was going surprisingly well.  

So it figured that this was when Atem suggested, "Let's stop by the game shop for a bit, there's some new booster packs that came in yesterday."

Kaiba stopped in his tracks. "Please, tell me you don't mean Kame Game Shop."

Atem blinked, turning to look up at him. "Of course, it's the closest, which other one would I mean?"

"Is there something wrong?" Set inquired, trying to meet Kaiba's eyes. Easier said than done, when the other person was intent on staring straight ahead.

Kaiba huffed. "You know what, no, whatever. Lead the way."

And that was that, for a while. Atem looked like he wanted to push Kaiba for answers, but a subtle shake of the head from Set convinced him otherwise. If anything, Set had found, it was better to wait until Kaiba spoke of his own volition, if you desired truth instead of snarky remarks. Instead, Atem made small talk with Set until they arrived at their destination.

Kaiba's mood had definitely taken a turn for the worse. He remained unresponsive as they walked through the door, bell signaling their arrival. He gave the distinct impression that he had to force himself to step over the threshold in the first place. The game shop turned out to be no exception to the Saturday rush of customers. Perhaps the 'newly released booster packs' Atem had mentioned were of some influence. Yugi stood behind the counter, flitting from one customer to the next, answering one's questions even as he rang up someone else's purchases.

"I won't be long," Atem declared, shooting a last concerned glance Kaiba's way. "Feel free to look around until I'm done."

With that, he broke into a light jog and disappeared between two rows of shelves. Kaiba's gaze trailed after him. _Now what?_ Set wondered.

He knocked his shoulder into the other man's, trying to get his attention. "Should we?" he asked, after a moment clarifying, "Look around?"

"What for?" Kaiba snorted, voice dripping with disdain. "There's nothing special about most of the games here, and those that might be worthwhile, we already own."

Set remained quiet, seeing if Kaiba would continue or not. He did.

"Even those booster packs - if he wanted them so badly, I could've had them delivered to the house last week. You'd think he would remember that my position comes with its advantages, but apparently not."

"I doubt he means anything by it," Set replied, "It might be simply a matter of feeling self-sufficient. We know you _could_ get us anything we want, but I doubt Atem will be inclined to ask for something as simple as cards, when he could go out and buy them on his own."

"With whose money?"

Set frowned, dropping his voice lower in the hope Kaiba would feel more inclined to heed his words. "You might want to reconsider which argument you want to pursue here."

Both Set and Atem - and anyone else living in the Kaiba mansion for that matter - were well aware that, financially speaking, they had no choice but to rely on Seto. Maybe in time, they could pick up a profession of their own, but none of them were ready for that just yet. Kaiba himself had often agreed with this sentiment, and thus had no right to wield his monetary power over them as a means of control, nor was he allowed to belittle any of them for their dependence.

Thankfully, it seemed Set's words hit their mark. Kaiba snapped his mouth shut and turned his head the other way.

"That doesn't change the fact he could have gone to any other store, on any other day." His words were barely audible over the various other voices that filled the room. Set's annoyance turned into confusion. As irritable and snappish as Seto appeared to be, Set had found it rarely to be without a cause. His continued comments over the game shop felt off because of it. "Is there a reason we should not have come here?"

Kaiba clicked his tongue. "You'll see, most likely. Just wait."

Set followed the other's line of sight, to where Atem had apparently managed to find the items he'd been looking for, and walked up to Yugi. Set was surprised to find he could make out most of their conversation. Yugi sounded surprised as well, for wholly different reasons.

"Atem? Why are you here?"

Atem grinned, holding up the card packs in his hand before putting them down on the countertop. "I'm picking up some of the new arrivals, you didn't expect me to skip out on these, right?"

"No, but that's not what I meant," the other smiled indulgently, leaning closer. "Weren't you going on a date today?"

Judging by Atem's reaction - which consisted of going quiet, color draining from his face - he had failed to inform Yugi of the details of his date. Kaiba's eyes met Set's. _Here we go_ , he mouthed in reply to his still-unspoken question.

Yugi spotted the two of them. His eyes widened.

" _Oh_."

Kaiba swiveled around, telling Set in no uncertain terms, "I'm waiting outside." Set was tempted to follow him, if only to get away from Yugi's sudden attention. Atem's gaze shot towards the exit, where Kaiba slipped outside, then to Set. He shrugged. Atem was on his own here.

"Wait," Yugi started, "If this is your date then why did you bring-?" The dots connected.

And Set felt more out of the loop than ever. If Yugi knew Atem was on a date, then why did he act so surprised at their presence? Unless... Had Atem not told him _whom_ he was meeting up with today?

The thought stung.

"Atem." Yugi crossed his arms, shooting him a look that spoke of both disbelief and amusement.

For his part, Atem chose to make a tactical retreat, apologizing before moving backwards and grabbing Set by the arm, mumbling, "Time to leave." He stressed his point with a tug, pulling Set along until they reached the exit.

" _Atem_."

"Sorry partner, I'll explain some other time!" he shouted back, closing the door with a final "See you later!"

" _Atem!_ "

Atem was cursing under his breath. The color had returned to his face with a vengeance, turning him a particularly unflattering shade of red. He was still gripping Set's arm.

"You see now why coming here was a bad idea?" Kaiba said from somewhere beside them.

Set grimaced, trying to make sense of the whirling thoughts inside his mind. Considering the bond Atem shared with Yugi, and he hadn't found it fit to inform him... It came across as if he hadn't wanted to admit whom his date was. Was it merely because there were two of them, instead of just one other person, as Yugi had been expecting?

He managed to find his voice again long enough to ask, "You didn't tell him it was us?"

"Ehm, well," Atem coughed out, "I told him about the date, just not-"

Yugi's earlier words echoed back at him again.

_'-then why did you bring-?'_

_Set_ , his mind filled in the blanks. He had been surprised to find out Set was there too.

Kaiba cut in, voice like the sharpened edge of a blade, "Not who it was? Too ashamed to admit it?"

Set wanted to laugh. Out of the two of them, Kaiba should be the one feeling more secure in his standing with the former pharaoh. Regardless of past transgressions, they'd grown over the years, enough so that Yugi had managed to catch on to what was happening between the man whose spirit he'd shared a body with and the surly CEO. Set was still little more than a stranger to the pharaoh's friends in this era. Objectively, he knew that Yugi would have been unable to judge Set's bond with Atem like he could with Kaiba's.

That didn't dull the pain - the fear of rejection, being left out, _left behind_.  

But Atem's hand kept its grip on his arm, locking him in place. It was not harsh enough to cut off the flow of his blood, but neither was it a casual, forgotten touch. Fingers repositioned, held on to his wrist. A plea to stay, wordless as it may be. Set released the air that had been trapped in his lungs, felt the tightness that had taken hold of his chest ease with it.

He was wanted here.

"No!" Atem replied, "Nothing like that! Why would I be-?!" He broke off, groaning in frustration. "You know what? How about you," he pointed at Kaiba's face, nearly hitting him in the process, "-try explaining to Mokuba that you're _interested_ in both Set _and_ me, before throwing around accusations. See how easy that conversation goes."

Kaiba's tone remained completely flat as he answered, "He already knows."

"He- What?" Atem appeared to be at a loss for words.

"He lives in the same house, did you really think he hadn't figured it out? Or confronted me about it?" He scoffed. "Please, give him some credit, he's my brother after all."

Atem obviously hadn't expected that. His demeanor changed, feet shifting to adjust his stance. He stared at Kaiba, seconds ticking past as the silence stretched on. Set could feel nails that were not his own dig into his arm.

"I'm sorry."

Atem's entire being radiated the desire reach out and touch, comfort, reassure. Set wondered what exactly held Atem back from acting on those emotions. It couldn't be pride still, if he had been willing to go as far as apologizing out loud, could it? Kaiba, for his part, didn't fare any better, as if the idea of receiving a simple apology hadn't crossed his mind, and found himself unable to react to it. Genius or divinity-made-man, skillful, headstrong as they both may be, Atem and Kaiba could be undoubtedly stupid despite it all.

Time to take matters into his own hands, Set decided with a sigh.

He turned his arm to the side, dislodging Atem's grip on his wrist, and entwined their fingers instead. Kaiba shot him a look in warning as he took a step forward. He met the other's gaze, unflinching, and took hold of his hand as well. 

"What do you think you're doing?"

Set tugged gently on both their hands, guiding them further away from the shop. "It's time to go home. We're blocking the sidewalk for others, if you two hadn't noticed yet."

Honestly, it was a miracle Yugi hadn't followed them outside yet. For the first time today, Set found himself grateful for slow and chatty customers.

"That doesn't explain anything."

Set smiled. "Probably not, no."

He didn't have to explain himself. As per usual for Kaiba, more value laid in his actions, rather than his words. No matter what grumbling protests spilled from his lips, Seto made no move to extract his hand. It remained exactly where it was, clasped within Set's own, where he could faintly feel the steady thrum of the other's heartbeat. Atem seemed to have noticed as well, squeezing Set's other hand in gratitude.

Set figured, even before today, that Kaiba didn't mind physical contact. It merely depended on the people involved. He hugged Mokuba often enough, rustled the younger boy's hair or play-wrestled with him for the remote when he thought nobody else was home. Mana and Kisara, too, had most definitely passed whatever personal boundaries Kaiba had set by now. Last month, Kisara had grabbed Kaiba's face with both hands when he'd been overworked and tired but refused to admit to needing rest, before head-butting him into submission. It would've been hilarious if they hadn't also needed to worry about his wellbeing after that. Even Atem didn't resort to measures quite that drastic.

And then, realization dawned on Set. He'd never seen Seto and Atem _touch_ each other. He'd seen them knock elbows together and kick at each other's feet, seen Atem poke the taller man in the side and get shoved in return. None of those involved true skin-to-skin contact. They could be laughed off, considered playful, nothing serious, nothing with _meaning_. Even if they both obviously placed some level of emotion behind it, maybe... It could have been the reason why Atem had been too nervous, afraid almost, to reach out earlier. He hadn't known how to, when the man he was facing used to be on the other side of an arena, a battlefield stretching between them. Too accustomed to the pretence of violence that defined by their rivalry, to diving head-first into the deep, to have considered what sharing soft, gentle caresses would be like.

Set never considered himself to be a tactile person, not by a long shot, but in comparison to Kaiba? He could see why Atem deemed him the more approachable one. And since, appearance-wise, he resembled Seto an awful lot, it wouldn't be hard for the CEO to consider holding Set's hand no stranger than looking at his own, tracing the lines and curves mapped out there with touch now rather than sight.

Sometimes it became painfully obvious how young they were, in the grand scheme of things. Not like Set, who'd lived a lifetime once, who was given the chance to learn from it. He decided long ago in Aaru that he would never again hold regrets like those from before, left to collect dust in the outermost corners of his memory, in the hope they would someday cease existing. If there was any way for him to spare Atem and Seto from suffering the same mistakes - whether it be through action, words, or otherwise - he would do everything in his power to do so.

If, for the time being, they felt more comfortable when Set acted as an intermediary, then so be it. They'd grow more accustomed to each other eventually. They had time on their side now.

Besides, holding hands really wasn't a hardship.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N Chapter Epilogue: 
> 
> "Oh for the love of-" Atem cursed, loudly.  
> "What _now_?" Kaiba fired back, not a second later.  
>  A sheepish grin.  
> "I forgot my booster packs."
> 
> Small sidefic drabble found here: [ [Watching From The Sidelines, Popcorn Optional] ](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10744095)


	3. Second Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If Set's life was a rom-com it'd be a terrible one (but he loves it just the way it is)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> merry early christmas/happy holidays y'all i bring thee an update. even if it's kinda short...

 

"I can't believe you took us to Kaiba Land."

Kaiba looked down at Atem, raising an eyebrow at the sudden statement. The tone suggested trepidation rather than surprise, though the words were at odds with the image the smaller man presented. His arms held several large stuffed animals he'd either won or bought at the souvenir shop, probably to serve as gifts for his friends, and his usually impeccable hairdo definitely looked more wind-swept than usual from the rides. In short, Atem didn't seem put off in the slightest by the amusement park.

"Why? It was the obvious choice."  

Atem scoffed, and shifted his armful around so he could meet Kaiba's eyes properly.

"That's exactly it. How do I put this..." Atem trailed off for a moment. "Seto, it's quite literally your own amusement park."

"I still don't see the problem."

Behind them, Set sighed. Indeed, he thought, it was unlikely that Kaiba would see any issue with bringing a date - and Atem insisted that their outing today was, in fact, another date - to this place. Kaiba Land may have been a family-oriented venture first and foremost, but it appeared to be quite the popular date location as well. More importantly, Kaiba was familiar with every ride and shop here. It probably gave him some sense of security, no matter how much he would deny it if anyone dared to ask.

"Well," Atem went on, "Some people might assume you're bragging."

Set fought back the disbelieving snort that threatened to escape him. As much as Kaiba could get overly self-absorbed and give off an air of superiority, Atem himself was no stranger to showing off, whether it was intentional or not.

Kaiba waved his hand as if dismissing the notion.

"You said I had to decide where to go today, and I simply chose the most convenient option."

"That could also be taken as not putting in any effort", Atem teased.

"When I came over to Aaru, all you did was show me around the palace grounds. 'Look at this priceless golden statue' this and 'This plaque was a gift from King Who-Knows for my twelfth birthday'."

"We didn't have a pure golden statue", Atem objected.

" _That's_ the part you chose to focus on?" Kaiba sounded affronted, though he kept his face carefully blank.  

Their bickering continued. Not long ago, Set would have felt hesitant, perhaps even insecure because of the way their conversation left no room for interjection. Their play of words could grow to be as much of a game as any duel, ranging from relaxed to fired up, with Set left as nothing but their spectator.

He'd learned better, over time. If he so wished, he would be able to slot into any of their conversations with ease. He knew now where to find the spaces in between Atem and Seto's sentences for him to fill with laughter, a witty remark, an insightful comment. He didn't always make use of the opportunity, but it was there, and that was all he needed.

It became another little thing that served to make him feel like he belonged.

What was harder to deal with, was the ever-persisting inability of both Atem and Kaiba's when it came to _acting_ on their feelings. Expressing themselves through action had always seemed the standard for them, but for all of Atem's straightforwardness and Kaiba's blunt words, there was a physical distance between them still that they didn't dare to cross.

It would have been funny, if it hadn't been so frustrating.

The casual, friendly touches hadn't diminished. There were shoulders bumping and irritated slaps and pokes, same as before. But romantic ones? When it was just the three - or two - of them in a room, with nothing else to distract them, everything became more complicated. Even though it really shouldn't be.

It hadn't been for a lack of trying on Set's part either. He'd tried, more than once, to up the amount of physical affection, but well... Kaiba's responsiveness to affection in general, not merely physical, still left much to be desired, in Set's opinion. Mokuba and Yugi assured him that Seto had improved heaps since the first time he had met Atem, but that meant little to him. He hadn't been here to witness that part.

Atem was more receptive, at first glance. He allowed Set's hands to linger against his, entwined their fingers, shared his personal space with nary any second thought. But without Seto there, it didn't feel quite right yet.

It put Set on edge at times. How could two people care about each other so much, yet still be so obtuse? Set couldn't deny that they had made significant progress - even with the odd formation of their relationship - but he couldn't help but feel that it wasn't supposed to be this hard.

He refused to interfere too much though, lest Kaiba retreat further into himself again. Isolation came as easy as breathing to him, Set discovered, but that was to be expected. He never liked letting other close either, at first.

Only time could tell whether it'd get better or not. They obviously wanted to be closer - it was stubbornness and pride that held them back. As usual.  

But Set was no stranger to those either, and he'd never been good at letting things be. Perhaps it was this thought that led him to wonder out loud, "Is this what dating is usually like?"

Kaiba's gaze fixed itself on Set now, brow crinkled into a confused frown. "Like what?"

"Just..." He ran a hand through his hair, tucking some stray strands back behind his ear.

How could he explain everything he'd thought, everything he felt, in the span of a few words? When written on paper, one had time to mull over each sentence's meaning and implications. Mistakes were easy to fix there. But if he _said_ the wrong thing, he could no longer take it back. The damage would be done. He didn't want to risk ruining their outing.  

With a shake of his head, he gingerly replied, "Ah, nevermind."

"I'm pretty sure he means to ask, if you want this to be a successful date, shouldn't you be trying to make it more romantic instead of arguing with us the entire time?"

Atem proved to be a master at changing the topic once again, Set thought with a smile.  

"Who's arguing? You are the one claiming my choice of location is in bad taste."

"Come on Kaiba, surely you have more creative ideas than bringing us here? With Mana around, we're here nearly every other week to start with!"

"You say that as if that's somehow my fault."

"It's not, but we've done all there is to be done here already. We're in dire need of a fresh idea."

Set chuckled, his mind conjuring images of one improbably scene after another. Grand gestures with flowers, fireworks, music. All the things Kaiba was unlikely to attempt in any way, shape, or form. Set blamed the latest batch of romance movies he'd watched for the silly ideas - but in all fairness, Téa had given some excellent suggestions.

Yet, it apparently wasn't too far off the mark, as Kaiba replied, "What, did you want to share an ice cream or something? You should've said so earlier, we already passed the ice cream stand."

Set was pretty sure that idea hadn't come from Kaiba himself. If nothing else, the red tint creeping up high on Kaiba's cheeks was a dead giveaway. He was curious who had brought it up, and the face Seto had made at them.

Atem laughed. "That wasn't really what I meant."

A pause. A glance towards Kaiba, and back at Set again.

He smiled.

"But I think I would like some ice cream, yes."

Without a word, Kaiba stopped walking, rolled his eyes, and turned around. Set's smile turned into a grin. He was starting to get a hang of reading Kaiba's responses. For all of his grumbling about organizing their current 'date', he really did want them to have a good time.

And whatever Atem said about their current whereabouts, Kaiba did seem more at ease today than he had on their first date. Set definitely counted that as a positive sign.

They didn't end up actually sharing any ice cream, but Kaiba did pay for all of them. For once, Atem didn't protest, only waited until he was done before leading the way towards a bench in one of the more quiet corners of the park.

Set thanked Kaiba, prompting another round of arguing about dating etiquette and whether thanking your date had any merit or not.

Set cut it short, before it got out of hand, stating, "Necessary or not, I'm having fun, and I appreciate the thought put into all of this, so I'm saying thank you. Now hush and finish your ice cream."

Atem, ever the same, continued regardless. "I still think it was a bit simplistic, for a Kaiba-idea."

"The date's good as is, don't try to deny it," Kaiba replied. "Grand romantic gestures are a waste of time, honestly."

"But not money?" Atem grinned.

Set added, "It's likely that I wouldn't know even if the date wasn't any good. Modern-day romantic entanglements are complicated to say the least."

"'Romantic entanglements', he says," Kaiba huffed, before catching Set's pointed look and admitting that yes, they were. He got a pleased smile in return.

"Actually," Atem piped in, "Considering that you built a space station in attempt to get back your _rival_ , I'm afraid to ask what you would consider a grand romantic gesture."

Set laughed. His earlier thoughts of Kaiba attempting to recreate romantic movie scenes came back in full force. Though maybe...

 "Dueling on the space station, perhaps. It _is_ a location that's sure to impress your date.", Set suggested with a grin.

Atem laughed and went along with the joke.

"Dueling on the space station, only there's hundreds of roses everywhere because Mokuba told him to get flowers."

Kaiba pointedly ignored them.

Set went on, "Dueling on the space station, hundreds of roses, and a live orchestra playing soft music."

"And don't forget the candles!" Atem added.

Kaiba groaned, crumpling up his napkin and throwing it into the nearest trashcan.

"I hate both of you."

Atem's voiced dripped with glee as the two of them followed after him. "No, you really don't."

Kaiba hummed. "Either way, lighting candles in a space station is a fire hazard."

"Aha!" Atem pointed at him triumphantly, "You've considered it, didn't you?"

"As if."

"Admitting it won't hurt you, trust me. Having silly romantic thoughts is a very normal thing, not even you are immune to its-"

Another groan. "Do you ever shut up?"

"Maybe, if you make me."

And Set wondered if he somehow had stepped into an illusion, or if he was dreaming after all. Because Kaiba only grunted before stepping right in front of Atem, bending down, and promptly pressing their lips together.

A noise escaped Atem, one that he would vehemently deny ever making later, but for now he was unaware it even happened at all. He gave up on holding on to his belongings, and brought a hand up to grasp at Kaiba's coat, pulling him in closer.

Set had trouble gathering his thoughts, to be completely honest. There was surprise, no question. Amusement, because even if it was difficult to tell from where he was standing, the kiss _did_ look a bit awkward. One thing was certain though.

Kaiba definitely didn't mind the lack of personal space after all.  

Set had been afraid he might find himself becoming jealous, seeing them like this. But now it was really happening and not merely a what-if scenario in his own mind, he only felt warmth spread through him. It was an odd combination of happiness and fond exasperation, with not a small amount of _'finally'_ thrown in the mix.

When they broke apart, neither of them knew what to do with themselves. They just stood there, at arm's length from each other, struggling for composure. At least, until Atem noticed he'd dropped everything he had been holding and buried his face in his hands instead. His face may have been hidden, but the tops of his ears were bright red.

Set couldn't help it.

He burst into laughter. It welled up from within, bright and easy, its sound carrying through the chilly autumn air. The memory of Atem's shocked face and Seto's utter embarrassed one left little room for envy either way.  

His laughter continued even when Kaiba's hands closed around the sides of his face, and he felt the soft pressure of lips, slightly off-mark, on the edge of his mouth. He quieted down, lined their lips up properly, and kissed back. Their own kiss barely lasted a moment, but the giddy feeling coursing through him wasn't going to go away any time soon.

Set was more than alright with that.

For a second, he allowed himself to bask in their shared closeness, the warmth of another's skin against his own. When he pulled away, he smiled, and squeezed Kaiba's hand.

He pretended to think for a second, humming to himself.

"Well then, I guess this counts as today's grand romantic gesture. Even if there weren't any flowers."

At that, Kaiba punched him in the arm and turned around again, briskly walking towards the exit. But there were about two dozen roses on the kitchen table the next morning, and really, Set decided he liked Kaiba's clumsy attempts at romance much more than any movie scene scenario.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> My tumblr, for all your screaming-about-ygo needs: [ [evexe-n] ](https://evexe-n.tumblr.com)


End file.
